THE MINISTER OF LANDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14087, 16 December 1907, Page 6

THE MINISTER OF LANDS

REVIEW OF HIS TOUR. ■SOUTHLAND'S PROSPECTS. • Tlio Hon. Mr M'Nab. Minister of Lands and Agriculture, concluded his southern tour on Saturday, when lie came through from Jnvercargifl by the first express anil proceeded io Lyllelton bv the afternoon, truin, and thenco jo Wellington. ® lv ' ew : (H ' by 11 Times reporter, Mr , lie had had a particularly pleasant trip, extending over about a foi'tn'r i think," ho continued, I nave ever eeeii this country looking to i I .' lo snut ' icni "hows at Milton, Llufcha, (lore, and Invercargill were, I think, almost without exception records for their exhibitions. The displays of sheep and jiorsps, particularly in the southern shows, were equal to anything, I suppose, that could be found in tho Dominion. Everywhere I found the farmers in excellent heart, and never forgetting to remind visitors of the fact that during tho excessive drought of the last year or two •southland had saved Otago. A great deal of crop is being put in, both in the form of oats and turnips. In some cases it may ho a hi tie laic, as tlio early spring was a bit backward. The later rains, however, arc bringing away the grass in plenty, and everything' belokens another very sueeessMsoam An intmoii3o amount of subdivision amongst the Jarger properties .lias gone on in (Southland of late years, and this is beginning to make itself manifest in the bookings for railway accommodation at the different stations.

" I drove through the celebrated • Eden(lalo settlement, and I think just now it would bo hard to find in New Zealand a more beautiful stretch of well-settled agricultural country. Edendale factory is taking ,in about 8000 gallons of milk por day. Another very lino stretch of country traversed was from Wallacetown, through Thornbury and Drummond, to Otautau, country the great bulk of which has been cut up recently. Draining operations arc in full swing amongst, the swamps, and altogether, from a land-eettlement point of view, things are very bright jn tho south'. "I visited also the Lome Farm, as the institution of tho Charitable Aid Board for children and aged is called. There' farm and gardening operations aro carried on in a highly successful manner, T.ho work is done by the old people and by the lads, and tho result has been eminently satisfactory froili tho point of view of tho discipline of tlie_ inmates, whilst financially, I alii told, it ia bringing about a material reduction in tho charitable aid rate. I think tins visible results are marvellous, and flio place is well worjh a visit by anyone who takes an interest in the charitable aid ; problem in New Zealand.

"The meat export companies, I found, were making extensive additions to their premises. At Matntira a larger portion of the river is being taken in "for power purposes, and both there and at the Bluff additions are being made to ihe buildings; whilst at Wallaeetown the additions would be even more extensive. On every hand one sees very complete preparations being made for an enormous increase in the output for tho future.

. Tlio town of Invercargill," concluded the Minister, "lias improved very much. Both those engaged in manufacture and (lie general public are more confident, of"the future prospects than I have ever before seen them. I took uart in tie presentation of prizes at the High School, and that institution appeared to l>e sharipg in the general advancement and progress." Mr M'XaLi was unable to give any definite information about his future movements, but it was practically certain that lie would visit the West Coast of this island in February.